What Are The Physiological Effects Of Eating Fast Food?

Fast foods such as hamburgers and french fries are known for high calories that raise your risk for weight gain, but the physiological effects of eating them often may be less obvious. Large amounts of fat, cholesterol, sugar and salt may cause cardiovascular and endocrine system problems over time. These health threats offset the benefits of significant protein, carbohydrate, vitamin and mineral contributions to your diet. Eating fast foods less often may help stabilize your weight and keep you free from diet-related illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes.

Good Nutrition

Meat, fish, grain, fruit, vegetable and dairy ingredients in fast foods supply protein, fiber, fats and essential vitamins and minerals. Foods such as hamburger, fish, chicken and sub sandwiches may be high in protein, fat, vitamin B and iron but relatively low in dietary fiber, a nutrient that aids your digestion. Some of the less popular menu items, such as low-fat milk, oatmeal and fruit cups, are good sources of calcium, fiber and vitamins A, C and D.

Overnutrition

While your body needs sodium, fats and carbohydrates, many fast foods provide too much. Eating meals composed of several such items can make you exceed safe limits for healthy daily intakes of these nutrients. Frequent consumption of cheeseburgers, breaded and fried entrees, biscuits, pies, muffins, dairy desserts and sodas can send you past the recommended amounts of sodium, saturated fat, cholesterol and sugar carbohydrates that you should consume in a day. Long-term overnutrition can affect your body's blood pressure, arterial health and response to insulin.

Your Weight

Calories from protein, fat and sugar can total your full day's allowance in a single meal and threaten your weight, reports the American Diabetes Association. Overweight conditions are major risk factors for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer and other chronic, incurable illnesses. The U.S. Department of Agriculture associates weekly fast-food consumption with higher-than-normal body mass and weight.

Significance

Becoming overweight combined with overnutrition from fast foods can cause serious diseases that may end your life prematurely. Too much sodium raises your risk for high blood pressure, while consuming too much saturated and trans fat and cholesterol degrades your arteries over time. Both high blood pressure and atherosclerosis, or clogged arteries, are risk factors for cardiovascular disease, which may lead to potentially fatal heart attacks or strokes. The U.S. Department of Agriculture relates that these health problems, as well as some types of cancer, are linked with diets that are high fat and low in fiber, the profile for diets that include a lot of fast foods.